Marshall, Mesa Boogie, or Orange - Which Amp Has The Best DIRTY Tone?

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Let me know which amp you liked the best and if you could identify them! Enjoy :)

[@Phoenix20086fly]

I am partial to the Marshall DSL 100. Thats what I own ! ✌️😊 I have a Richie Blackmore Strat and a Gibson Les paul also so best of most all worlds !

[@patrykkowalczyk3136]

Orange scored last for me in two of the three tests :P I think I prefer the Mesa Boogie :D

[@cdatlas]

I’m a straight metal guy and of these amps I think the Orange has the best metal high gain tones. That said I think that the Mesa Mark series is far superior to all three for metal tones. I have a Mesa Boogie Tri-Axis powered by a Simul 2:90 and I feel I can get any tone I want with that setup and external EQ. Seriously, with patience and a lot of tweaking, I can nail in anything from a twin reverb to a Mark IIc+ and the three amps I demo’d today. For clean tone I still use my Tri-Axis but I would love to get my hands on an old ADA MP1. I had one in the early 90’s and it has to be the best clean tone I’ve ever heard...they’re just really hard to come by these days and tend to go for way too much money.

[@jackp8583]

1st comparison I could only ID the Marshall for sure. I'm impressed by the Orange! What a nice combo with the Les Paul. 👍✌

[@redkurn]

you should get, if you can find one... a Bugera V55HD Infinium. I just got one and it kind of sounds between the orange and marshall (maybe)... I haven't had it long and don't know how to use a tube amp very well. maybe you can do some videos on how to get tones like you have going on. my settings are never this good, getting better, but yours... wow!

[@phelipehulk]

I prefered Orange on all tones. And i thought i'd prefer the Marshall.

[@vpsaxman]

Some Marshall amps need to be pretty loud to bring up the bass - actually can become a problem at higher volume: too much bass.

[@bizzigtv4903]

It is a DSL100. A better comparison would have been the JCM800/900 compared to the other two. But Orange is incredible.

[@markflemmer1326]

Orange is my fave here, but any Mesa/Boogie Mark series from IIC+ through V would make for a more difficult choice.

[@xriz8409]

Haha me too. And i didnt like orange too much… but… just shows. Most ppl aim for that dark scooped full blown sound with orange amps -> doesnt do them justice. Same with rectos :/

[@andreil1234]

I preferred the Orange as well, however I did rather also gravitate towards the Marshall for the high gain bit. My guess it's that for most drive tones the Orange is the easiest to dial in and use, whereas you can go many ways with the Marshall and possibly even more with the Mesa, however the last one is by far the toughest to dial in. I also wouldn't diss the Orange clean, as it's meant as a pedal platform that can be nudged any way with an eq and some boost/comp/OD even if it's not exactly immediately impressive or characterful by itself. Remember that the dirty channel builds on top of the same clean ;-)

[@bigfellalinc]

Never played thru one but for me and I must say very surprisingly, Orange got my vote on all 3 tests.

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

A mate of mine has a Thunderverb 100, and a custom loaded 4x12 (I dunno what's in it, tbh). It's almost obscene.

[@caincolesr]

I have played all three in live band situations many times. Really love all of them. Having said that. Once I got my Rockerverb Mk11, I haven’t been able to play on anything else at all. I can easily get a plexi tone on it, and all the tones I got from the Mesa, and Marshall. But can’t get any other amp to sound like my sweet sweet love. I truly believe that once you go orange there’s no going back. I play classic to hard rock, and 90s grunge style.

[@PFDarkside]

I think the biggest takeaway is that all-noon is not the correct EQ setting for most amps. Also, I think the Marshall needed to be a little louder. Also, killer Paul!

[@PFDarkside]

@@0megalul309 and Marshalls need to be loud enough to get past the bright cap.

[@joehahn8817]

@@PFDarkside I run an eq in the loop of my DSL-20HR. If I cut the signal with the eq and crank the amp to compensate it seems to have similar results to a $500+ attenuator. Big ol' bitchin' Marshall tone without the broken windows and visits from the "Friendly Fuzz!!!"

[@shaunw796]

Yes, all controls at noon is no way to run a test. None of them sounded really good and I know all three are great sounding amps if they're properly dialed in.

[@chadherring2790]

That’s why the orange won for so many, they’re the most user friendly amps on the planet and typically sound perfect on noon. Maybe bump up the treble to 6 and bass down to 4 for an LP. Strats get a tiny mid boost the same way… but they all rip on noon. I’ve owned 3.

[@chrisl2681]

Marshall struck my ear best each time. I was surprised how nice the Orange sounded in the final test - lost its tinniness, turning it into a great bright tone.

[@jared305]

I’m a Mesa and Marshal guy because of my 80s obsession but you can’t deny that Orange sounds good.

[@FabrizioPeretti]

They record great but I hate to play through one. Great rock tone but in my opinion doesn't go really further than that

[@BOBANDVEG]

@@FabrizioPeretti I'm an orange guy. I play metal , rock , and blues.....but no, you really cant do anything outside of this. The speakers are just celestions with bigger magnets for natural gain. So clean or dirty.....its always there. There are 2 types of people, those who love orange amps, and those who eat soup with a fork

[@FabrizioPeretti]

@@BOBANDVEG LOL good one

[@alexmurphy5289]

@@BOBANDVEG Orange has a darker tone and sounds quite bad with humbuckers unless I mess with the EQ. I like them as a company but let’s compare Jimmy Pages orange tone today to his Marshall tone of yesteryear and I think we both know which one is iconic and which one isn’t

[@BOBANDVEG]

@@alexmurphy5289 enjoy your soup sir

[@jdthompson8783]

I never realized how much I loved the Orange tone until I saw this, thank you.

[@michaelolz]

I never thought I’d say it, but the Marshall made the hair on my arms stand up. It’s my favorite. I guess I just like my 80s metal for a reason.

[@allanjcarpenter]

The Marshall was my overall winner, with the Orange coming in second. I love that DSL brightness and crunch.

[@hijmestoffels5171]

The Orange scored a 3 out of 3. It is clearly my favourite. Very interesting and informative video, as always.

[@InsomniacMatt]

I love the low gain grit that Orange has for 70s and 80s rock, and the high gain doomy style that modern Orange amps have, But I'm still a Peavey guy

[@FloodExterminator]

Indeed, I believe Jim Root has his own signature Orange

[@fishnpitstaknnames4699]

I'm a huge peavey guy too, I do play alot through my marshall but I love the clean tone of my peaveys.

[@joehahn8817]

Every Peavey I ever played through sounded like an icepick in the ear. Admittedly, I played Stratocasters exclusively back then. But even with a humbucker loaded axe I just can't find a sound I like. I always avoided Marshall because everyone and their mother has one. Then the DSL line came out and I figured WTF??? At that price, why not??? I sold my Mesa and haven't looked back. Now I know what everyone and their mothers know...lol!!!

[@TheRosswise]

Peavey XXL is a magnificent cheap amp if you can find one.

[@maxonmendel5757]

I love my FiLs Peavey Bandit

[@cwir88]

Damn, Orange really shines here, especially from 3:49. Full, very balanced, round and punchy tone. Mesa was too flubby and wooly. Marshall has too much hi end spike and harshness.

[@shivaomega3149]

Indeed.

[@masterguitar8280]

I felt the same! MAN, did I possibly buy the wrong amps???

[@ragrapios]

Presence knob is powerful, so actual setting can be different, but orange truly rocks

[@grungeman86]

Orange all the way. Amazing sounds

[@MusingMuso]

Did this blind and was really surprised to have picked Orange all 3 times! I've been a budget player since like 2005 and always wanted a Mesa Double/Triple Rec but may navigate towards the Orange heads now. Thanks so much for this! Quality content as usual

[@DarthCiliatus]

Orange has the crush pro series of solid state amps that are based on the rockerverb and get 99% of the way there for much cheaper than a rockerverb.

[@Madchris8828]

Orange is crushing it in the amps! They are amazing imo

[@MusingMuso]

@@DarthCiliatus researching now. Been playing a Schecter PT Blackjack 2004 since 2004. A couple of years ago I got a good deal on a Line6 POD HD 500x with all the expansion packs. Haven't had a real amp since like 2015 (which was a Crate head and cab just so I could play shows) Been in apartments for like the last 10 years but am moving into a house in a few months. I need to be able to turn up.

[@MusingMuso]

@@Madchris8828 My favorite lead sound has always been Synyster from Avenged Sevenfold. I know he uses his own sig guitar (with sustainiac and a custom invader. I have a JB/69 combo in my PT but am putting a pair of Invaders in soon) and amp but even before that he used schecters and bogner uberschalls. Can I get something comparatively nasally and with similar breakup out of an orange?

[@Madchris8828]

@@MusingMuso can't answer that for sure. I would imagine so. I'd say go try it out at a local guitar store just to be sure. But not sure that's even possible right now. I would think it can be done though

[@friedrudibega6384]

I've used all 3 in studio and live situations. They're all great brands. Using a Tiny Terror all the time now. It just feels right. Cool video!

[@ferox965]

I'm a bassist and I use the Bass Terror. Simple setup that makes you work the tone and volume knobs. I love orange...have a Terror and a Bax Bangeetar for my six string needs.

[@grayjack5021]

I have noticed a lot of bass players using Orange Amps and Cabinets. Orange sells an Orange (color orange) bass guitar.

[@KellinKingdom]

The Orange Rocker/Rockerverb is such an underrated amp.

[@Miasma666]

In metal scene , rockerverb is one of the most favorite amps after 5150/6505

[@maxonmendel5757]

​@@Miasma666yeah lol everyone used a rockerverb these days

[@ferox965]

I'm a bassist and I've been using Orange for years. Great sound and loud enough to knock birds out of the sky. Plus, the gear holds up to heavy gigging...almost like it's bulletproof. I was so impressed that all my six string stuff is Orange was well. My guitarist in my blues trio is a Mesa girl. She absolutely loves Mesa...

[@FloodExterminator]

Interesting... you don't see Mesa Boogies often for Blues. You usually see them often for Metal/Hard Rock

[@ferox965]

@@FloodExterminator Yep. She used to have a Rectifier combo (double I think). She got rid of it a long time ago-thing weighed way more than my Orange setup- and has a much smaller and simpler setup now. She's been using Mesa for years, she found her sound. She tried a lot of amps over the years, Fenders, Marshalls, Peaveys etc and Mesa is where she landed. She makes it work. I think it's a Mark 5 combo that she has now.

[@FloodExterminator]

@@ferox965 Indeed, Orange does tend to make small but powerful amps and cabs

[@ianwaller6204]

@@FloodExterminator Walter Trout uses Mesa combos

[@TylerMcConnell]

I picked the Marshall on every one! I love that upper brightness in the distortion.

[@WrinkledPlatypus]

I honestly thought I'd end up going for Mesa but every single round I picked the orange, I think that's telling me I should spend more time with the micro terror I got a few months back.

[@anthonymichael3029]

I had the easiest time picking out the Mesa...the mid scoop was pretty apparent to my ears. The Marshall and Orange seemed most similar to me.

[@alanswanson7515]

Orange! The TH30 has a wonderful clean channel as well.

[@zackcodso2577]

I prefer simplicity in an amp in order to get the tones I want. One of the biggest reasons I gravitate towards Orange. Also the note definition is unbelievable with them. I have the Crush 120, & even for a solid state, I get every Orange sound I want

[@XciteMike]

Orange FTW, but I've never seen such a simple and clear example of the iconic tone of each. Now, if I could only afford any one of those . . .

[@stephentrevis9931]

I was surprised how much I liked the Orange. There was an Orange amp in the practice studio I used to go to which didn’t sound like that, so I thought didn’t like Orange. Will definitely try them out more!

[@LoreAccurateHusky]

I got them all but the Marshall and Rectifier were surprisingly close for an unboosted sound. Still owning a JCM 2000, Dual Rec, and Jim Root Terror I could identify their defining characteristics. The DSL has that bright, "chirpy" high end on the transients, the Orange has this dark and fuzzy structure to the overdrive, the rectifier was a little dry and deep in the low end. The only tricky bit was at the end where the rectifier sounded super dark and flubby which isn't something I associate with it. I then remembered that you have the EQ at noon so the treble knob isn't attenuating the mids and low end which caused the mild confusion.

[@nicksonthevet]

Never seen or played any of those but still watched all the way. Greetings from Tanzania

[@BF-27]

Love your videos Darrell! Comparisons like this are inherently difficult where you're trying to reduce the variables for a true A/B comp, but setting all EQ knobs on 12 o'clock really does the Mesa a disservice. I've owned several amps and the dual rec is the only one where 12'oclock across the board doesn't sound very good IMO. The manual even says 12 o'clock isn't a great starting place, and people who claim they can't get a good tone out of a dual rec just need to read the manual to figure out how to use the EQ knobs to get the tone they are after. It's insane how versatile that amp is once you know how to use it! But yeah, for this comp I think the Orange won, and it's the only one of the 3 I don't own..go figure XD

[@han36solo]

The problem with that is Darrell, each amp's "innate character" also means that the tone stack is totally different. Setting all at 12 means nothing, as that isn't a magic spot where there is no boost/cut like is often mistaken.

[@bobboitt3126]

You're right there isnt one amp I ever used that I set everything at 12 o'clock. The best test would be find the "sweet" spot on each....then record them. That way you get the best tones from the amps to compare.

[@han36solo]

@@bobboitt3126 Exactly.

[@rickycox9271]

Yup, JTM45 HW, Jubilee and 1987xl along with Vintage 30 and Greenback Celestine. All 3 of these blows away all three of the pics for the video Blending / Jumpering the channels on the Plexis and that unique mid pot on the 45, sounds like no other!!!

[@shawnreed9016]

Marshall for me all the way but that’s what was big in 80’s when I was young. That’s what my friends all played so that is the sound that sounds right to me. With that said I wouldn’t complain if someone would give me any of them. Great video as always. You are definitely on of my favorite channels. 🤠🎸🤘

[@joestrong1966]

I was really diggin the orange on the distortion

[@Madchris8828]

Jim Root from Slipknots go to. Great sound, especially with distortion

[@slo_carry]

I got the first set wrong, but got the rest correct. The Marshall was easy to tell apart and the Mesa you could tell on the high gain pretty easy. Love them all!

[@DrErickLopez]

That orange amp really blew me away. Picked it every time. Never thought I’d like an orange amp!

[@joshuasimard2053]

I liked them all in the different spots, but I guess that shows their differences. For each on I chose a different amp on the blind test 1. Mesa 2. Marshall 3. Orange (not surprising because of the lows) The only one I could pick out was orange because it has its own character I found pretty evident

[@Qaaqqutsiannguaq]

Good blind test, I best like Marshall and Mesa.

[@WayneYelverton333]

I own a Dual Rec and a Marshall. I need a Rockerverb to complete the collection! Love them all. This demo really didn't do the Dual Rec any favors. It is so versatile I can get almost any tone I want from it. I also have an old Boogie Studio Pre that sounds amazing. Just buy all three!!

[@Sermondt]

Great comparison, thank you. Les Paul and Marshall: match made in heaven!

[@michaeleaster1815]

The presentation of the blind test was great! I picked Orange twice, and I originally thought that I didn't care for Orange.

[@seqouiaflame]

DAMN!!! Not only was I able to correctly guess each amp in each tone comparison, but I'm now convinced I need a Mesa Dual Rec!!

[@chronicbanana4665]

I preferred orange on all of the tests, it just has that tone I would want to look for

[@irf888]

Hi. That was a fantastic demo of just the right length too. Thank you for taking the time to make this comparison. Regards.

[@itsawildguitarist4716]

Keep up the fire content dude

[@arlizan6473]

How do I get here 3 minutes after upload and there's already several other comments? Bravo Darrell! :)

[@zylavormusic2616]

Because some of us live to comment first... xD

[@saedemoph]

I have played both Orange and Mesa. I love Orange amps, they are my favorite together with Driftwood. And this blind test is the proof.

[@michielflynn7487]

Blind Taste Test (as I watched) = T1. 12 O'clock Tone. = AMP 2 Orange then Amp 1 Marshall Next T2 Classic Rock. =Amp 1 Dual Rectifier then 3 Orange Next T3 Aggressive Rock Tone = Amp 1 Orange then 3 Marshall Marshall was like, plug and play; simple, easy & ready to rock. However, I say this, because... feasibly I think one could Re-EQ each one of them to nearly sound like the other. But the one thing I didn't realize is and I think I heard you say The Dual Rectifier can be separated allowing one muitple cabinates to include a foot switch enabling one to easily switch from Heavy to Clean. So that sounds like a huge benefit if you're a super versatile player. I'd really have to hear it all in a large room or outdoors and then mic'd through a PA. A Good or Bad Soundman could make or wreck the whole thing and then it's all subject to each individual's ear ability. So your back to talent - execution, and pure personal charismatic presence to please an entire audience. Hmmm And it makes Me Wonder? I wish I had KZbin Experts back in the day back in the day. Yeah, I confess that photo is me in the heyday... I'm pushing 60 now LOL Yolks on me I guess or maybe on than Kids these daze who won't appreciate all they have until it's gone. Sad Days to Come from the look of things. Good Clips Later ~x M x~

[@fredmuloin1545]

Boogie of course. And i win every time whit it. Boogie have something different from any other amp. Love it. My second choice will be for the Marshall. Damn i miss my DSL20C. Not a fan of Orange. Doesn't like the layout and i never be able to get a good sound frome it. But still a iconic amp, but not my taste. Thank's for the blind test. I really like it when you do it. Hello from Quebec ✌️

[@mr1bienvenu1]

Wow ! If you would have ask me I would have told you the Orange would be the last of the three that I would buy but it was my favorite on each of the three you played.

[@redrockpaco]

The absolute best thing you did (besides confirm my love for the Orange sound), was to rank them in terms of tone. That is something I have never seen and would love to see in a more comprehensive sense, which is to rank all major amps the way you did, from bright to dark. I’ve pieced different sources together but nothing definitive. Would love to See you do a vid on that. Even if I found it somewhere else, you bring a significantly better SME to the table, and would intrinsically trust your analysis. 🙏🏼

[@asherplatts6253]

I see a lot of people saying that they preferred one brand on all three tones, and I liked a different one each time. At lower gain, the bottom end of the Mesa Boogie provided a lot of clarity, where the other two sounded a bit congested or brittle. At higher gain, the Orange really shines through, with the compression causing the false harmonic bottom end to really fill out, where with the Mesa, it became overpowering and boomy. In the midrange gain, I liked the Marshall and mesa, it had a good balance of lows from compression, while being voiced with lots of high end as well, maintained string separation and chimey high end sparkle. I guess I'll buy an EVH 5150iii. LOL.

[@IntuitiveLeap]

I have a Mesa Boogie Mark V and I won't be getting rid of it any time soon :) I do also really like the other two amps, but the Mark V is easily capable of making almost any type of sound you might ever want for an electric guitar. [ and it's REAAALLY loud ;) ]

[@nolanaffleck9804]

Solo’d the orange definitely sounded the best, but in a mix I think the Marshall would really let the bass guitar shine, when the other two might compete a bit for the bass frequencies.

[@christopherpaladin213]

Oranges sound great but they do sometimes sound a little too “Orangey.” But I think it would be hard to be unhappy with any of these amps. Great comparison. Cheers!

[@sammyfox2652]

I would love to see a video on recording / amp set-up at home, so I don't kill my ears or my neighbours and still get to play with a great tone. Much love

[@Stashmanfpv]

Thats why I also have my modelers, .Fractal ACE FX III, AX8, and Helix... Recording / Neighbors aren't a problem anymore and the tones are spot on. ✌🏽

[@rome8180]

I think the Orange was my favorite. It had the most balanced tone. The Marshall was a little thin and the Mesa Boogie was way too dark. The Mesa Boogie was definitely my least favorite of the three.

[@BreeXD45C]

Orange floats my boat. I got rid of my Marshall for an Orange and have never regretted that choice. I had Orange 2 and Mesa 1 in the test with the Mesa just nudging the Orange on one of the tests. I like the Orange sound which is kind of unique and biting. But to be honest, it's very personal and I would happily take any of them. They all have their place in the tone rainbow!

[@stroopwafel6141]

Nice comparison. Easy to detect the Rockerverb, as I play a RV50 MKI head (6V6 tubes) for years. I disagree about some views. The RV is quite versatile once you understand how to work with the four gainstages in the drivechannel. And the cleans are phenomenal, if you use the right preamptubes and crank the clean channel a bit. You might not expect it, but this amp can cover many styles. And yes, it has character in spades.

[@Dicktoben]

I’m debating by a combo of the mk1.

[@hemipirate]

This was a great way to compare amps! The blind samples made me focus on the sound without having the presumption of already knowing which brand it was. Btw, I'm diggin' that flannel! 👌

[@greevar]

In my order of preference, it was Orange, Marshall, and Mesa. I was able to spot the Orange in the first two examples and the Marshall fooled me on the third. I guess I have a preference with a powerful mid-range tone.

[@deborahritchphotography]

Found I liked the Orange on all three comparisons

[@willrayment9544]

I have orange amps and marshall amps. Without thinking I always seem to go to my or50. it just kicks with thick rock tones. Awesome review as always.

[@moustachio334]

I’ve had two Orange amps. I loved them both. The last one I had was an OR50. My buddy plugged it into his giant ass wall of Sound City cabs and it ripped. My favorite thing about the Orange amps is that they sound good set at 12 O clock no matter what. The EQ sections are also very good when you do use them.

[@-TheOddity]

I used to hate orange amps but lately I’ve had some financial troubles and needed a cheap tube amp and actually went with the orange micro dark hybrid. I hated it at first, but I have to say, it is astonishing the tones you get from the little beast and it’s actually my main amp thus far. It introduced me to orange and taught me to not be so biased on amp brands

[@julienlepage7819]

I searched for my first amp to play mostly blues (I have a Godin Session Custom 59') 1 year ago. I went with Orange (Crush 35RT). The Orange sound with pure nickel strings and vintage pickups is simply beautiful.

[@Florida_Living1]

Wow, this surprised me! I favored the Mesa/Boogie all three times, it sounded killer. The Orange took 2nd place for me. Marshall also sounded great, just a little too fizzy in the high end for my taste. Awesome comparison, Darrell!

[@6stringcodger450]

You really have some great toys!!! I have to use simulations to get close to these tones. I have had marshall but not the other 2. (and only a fender twin these days) Being on a gear diet sucks, but I can still read and enjoy browsing the menu!

[@roberthollingsworth1675]

I liked them all, but the Marshall does it for me. followed by Orange then Mesa. Darrell, I put the Tone Monster EQ pre-amp in my IB Ebay bass, man what a difference, thanks for that tip.

[@SDisonYT]

As a huge Queen fan, I would choose the Vox AC. But the Marshall and the Fender Bassbreaker would be a close 2nd and 3rd for my favorite crunch tones, with the Mesa close behind. (5150 for Lead tones)

[@MuvoTX]

Blind, I liked the orange most... that low throaty midrange sounded great to my ears.

[@deadcurls]

I kept mixing up the Mesa and Marshall but I definitely got the sound of my Orange right every time :)

[@grayjack5021]

Child of the Late 50's through the present. Fender Reverbs, VOX, Kustom, Sun, Boogies, Peavy, EVH, Marshall, Orange.... is all in the hands of the artist that makes the sound happen.

[@EdwinSantiago19]

That Les Paul is beautiful

[@angusorvid8840]

I prefer the Marshall. The Orange is my second fave. The Dual Recto is a distant third as I never liked Rectos. I prefer bright crunchy distortion, not the sloggy, dark thrashy grungy thing. I do love the amps Orange has developed over the past decade. Some of the best high gain amps out there.

[@Sean_Plays_Guitar]

What I learned: I don’t know tone 😂

[@RByrne]

I'm with you there. Lol Every video; Me: "that sounds terrible" Reviewer: "listen to that beautiful tone"

[@judih.8754]

I haven't played through any of these amps but am quite aware of there capabilities, and I was able to tell which was which. After this back to back to back comparison I have to say the Orange is my choice followed by the Marshall. Thanks Darrell.

[@gastonreboredo9408]

My favorite for all three was the Orange! Fantastic video!

[@fruitiusmaximus925]

This three-way comparison seems to be a popular one. What I'm taking away from watching several of them, is that all three have incredible, awesome tone, and any guitarist would want to have ALL THREE available from their rig. That being said, I think that as awesome as the Mesa and Orange tones are, I think they can be achieved from pedals and pre-amp boxes. Whereas the Marshall has a huge stand-out sound that cannot be replicated. Therefore, as much as I hate to say it, because I've always loved playing on Orange and Mesa gear - and currently own both - the best rig would be a Marshall head, with an Orange box and a Mesa box on footpedals.

[@fruitiusmaximus925]

@@lisaayers1975 I've been using an Orange Crush 120 pro solid state, with a Mesa Boogie Fillmore cabinet for exactly that reason: because it is the most "pedal -friendly" format that I've been able to find, and it lets me get the best performance out of pre-amp boxes (it's pretty awesome to have a Friedman pre-amp, a Mesa pre-amp, and an EVH pre-amp in your effects board... I should really add a Vox, too). But of course, I still think the sound you get from a Marshall head can't be replicated, unless you dump a fortune on a boutique head, like a Diezel. So, I want to get a setup that lets me switch between my Orange head and a Marshall head. Not hard to do, my rig used to have a switch that let me toggle between my Orange amp and a Roland Jazz Chorus 212... I never should have sold that that thing, it takes me at least 4 very expensive pedals to get the sounds I used to get from that JC212.

[@brianhearon9241]

I haven't had a new amp in 10 years.After listening to a bunch of videos and doing my own experiments,I had settled on an Orange Crush...until I played through a Boss Katana.

[@billytrance6893]

Wow! Great video! For me...hands down the MARSHALL!!!

[@gergemall]

Decisions, all amazing. I’m a Spark fan at home . Love Mesa and Marshall

[@RC32Smiths01]

It's very true man. These are iconic amps for their tones!

[@farkenfigjam8732]

I always thought Marshall's sounded better than Orange, even though Ive never personally played one. But I guess I was wrong. The only reason I think that is necause my orange crush 12 (yes I know it's a small practice amp but still) is really bright and twangy on the lower part of the fret board on the G and B. But whenever I here Marshall's on songs or videos and they sound smoother and more well rounded. But the orange just sounds better imo (atleast in the video).

[@GuitarMooseMusic]

I have an Orange Crush Pro 120 and I couldn’t be happier with it. I’m running it through a Marshall MX 412AR and man it sounds awesome!!! I can’t wait to save up and get a Marshall head and a second cab. Just so I can have the different sound and a full stack!!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🎸🎸🎸🎸😎

[@zylavormusic2616]

I am a simple man. When I see Darrell Braun, I click.

[@calebcarver3449]

Darrell you are a mind reader!!! said that dozens of times to myself before.

[@tarunkumaar625]

The Orange gets my vote for break-up and high gain. It sounds very balanced, not too much, not too little. But the Mesa has it's unique tone and I can't pick between it and the Orange for Classic Rock. If I do upgrade my amp, I know what to look for and also how to tune my Blackstar's EQ to get a specific tone. The Marshall really needs to be let loose and EQ'd to get it to sound like I want it to I guess. Anyways, amazing video, great playing and riffs as always. Thanks so much for these videos man, helps beginners like me a lot.

[@edmontongord8120]

You forgot to say "I hope your having a great day " that always makes me smile...........great video thanks.

[@janwlaaa]

Hi! Thanks for the video. I enjoyed the comparison but couldn't disagree more with the summary. Speaking from experience rather than the video alone. The Marshall can do it all quite well, the Mesa just won't do certain things, but the Rockerverb does it all. I really can't imagine not being inspired by the Orange's clean and high gain sounds, as well as pretty much everything in between. I would say the Mesa is the least versatile despite having the most options, many of them being absolutely iconic sounds. Love all three for what they are! Cheers!

[@mikecarreca7864]

Hi again Darrell, I stated before, I have the exact Marshall's, so I am partial to that. I also have the orange. But I do not have the Mesa. I prefer Fender over Mesa. Great comparison though. I use the Marshall's for most of the recording. Great video today.

[@klausrusswurm3506]

All three Amps are cool , i have an old orange AMP, i Love this Sound, super Video, Darrell. 🎶🎤🎹🚗🎼🎙️🎵🎧🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸👍😉

[@amimaster]

As pointed out by other viewers, setting out the EQs to 12 'o clock doesn't actually remove the EQ from the equation. It's due to how the FMV tone stack is arranged, as their knobs are highly interactive and in general not a great design. While different brands use more or less the same tone stack layout, their component values are sometimes different, so a setting of 12 12 12 is not the way to obtain a flat response (there would be a scoop in the middle at different frequencies, plus a low pass filter in the Marshalls). You could do it more effectively by setting mids to 100%, treble to 0% and bass to about 5%. Be aware that in Mesa amps the gain/volume knob is higly interactive with treble, so the gain may be compensated with a bit of treble. The most accurate way to go would be to find a schematic for each amp and use some software like "Tone Stack Calculator" to figure out the settings that provide the flattest response.

[@stevefisher2121]

I am totally surprised but I would take that Rockerverb all day long!!!!! What a unique sound - wow, I am speechless.

[@hball6695]

Orange has a saturation and character I love! Marshall a close second. Was kinda hoping the Badlander would be in here too!

[@johnnyzgallagher]

Orange in every test, except for the first one (overdrive) in which i liked Marshall better. Unexpected, though I use Orange at home. Loved the blind test!

[@windsurfmaui8239]

I like Fender amps but I took this test just to learn more about Orange. I was able to guess all the amps on each test. To my ear for whatever reason the Marshall sounded too bright almost harsh. The Mesa sounded the best and the Orange sounded in between the two except on the third test in High Gain and then the Orange sounded almost as good as the Mesa. When you do a test like this I would appreciate if you would include the retail price for each of the amps so we know if we're getting an apples-to-apples comparison in terms of price range. Thanks for this test

[@10bunks12]

I didn’t pick the Marshall once 😳. I picked Mesa twice and Orange once in what tones I liked in that demo.

[@place_desjardins]

Interesting comparison. People rarely play/record with EQ set to neutral, so I'm used to hearing these amps with EQ's/presence adjusted. I couldn't tell which one was which until he named them.

[@blaineweber5047]

Picked the the Marshall as my preferred tone all three times , I play through a Vox so really had no dog in this fight , really good comparison !

[@J.Burrough]

Great Video Wow I chose Marshall, Orange then Mesa on each segment. They all sounded great and would use any one.

[@johnriley8314]

1st seg-amp ! 2nd seg-amp 3 3rd seg-amp 2.....and for even more toneal bliss 'use an equalizer in front of it as well!!!!!I personally love the JCM900 head too Darrell!!!!!!

[@Otize1]

The Orange really surprised me, I was dead set on getting a DSL100 but now I'm debating on the Rockerverb 50, sounds great, but at this point in time I think I would like a decent to good clean channel as well, so I might stick with getting a DSL